With respect to the omission of the Invocation of Saints, there can be no doubt that the English · Church did well in removing it from her Litany in the 16th century: the Eastern Church has never admitted it, nor did the Western for many ages, and some of the earliest copies which are still extant do not contain them. I would especially refer the reader to Mr. Palmer's observations upon this point (Origines Lit. Vol. i. 276-281) where he will find the argument well and briefly stated; starting from the important authority of the very learned Renaudot: "Litaniæ nostro more loquendo, nullæ in ritu orientali sunt, etiamsi Kyrie eleison pluries repetatur, a qua formula litaniæ nostræ incipiunt, et eadem concluduntur. Sed neque Græci illas noverunt." And he adds soon after : "Nulla sanctorum, ut in litaniis nostris, commemoratio."

These invocations were first left out in the King's Prymer of 1545; (I take no notice of that ordered by the King alone in 1544, nor of the unauthorized and heretical publications under the same name, which appeared during the previous ten or twenty years :) they were omitted of course during K. Edward's reign : were restored under Q. Mary: and finally omitted in the earliest Litany of Queen Elizabeth, and her first Common Prayer-book.

The Prymer of K. Henry in Latin and English, and in Latin only, (the Orarium) begins the Litany at once, immediately after the Seven Psalms, with Pater de cælis, “O God, the father of heauen." But the editions set forth in English only, by Whitchurch, have the following Preface.

"As these holye prayers and Suffrages following, are set furth of most godlye zeale for edefying, and stirring of deuotion of al true faythefull christian heartes: so is it thought conuenient in this common prayer of procession to haue it set furth and vsed in the vulgar tongue, for stirryng the people to more deuotion: and it shal be euery christen mans part reuerentlye to vse the same, to the honor and glory of almighty God, and the profit of their owne soules,

And suche among the people as haue bokes and can reade, may reade them, quietly and softly to them selfe and suche as can not reade, let them quietly and attentiuely geue audience in time of the sayde prayers, hauyng theyr myndes erect to almighty God, and deuoutly praying in theyr heartes, the same petitions whiche do entre in at theyr eares, so that with on sound of the heart and one accorde, God may be glorified in his churche.

And it is to be remembred, that that which is printed in the great letters, is to be sayd or song of the priest with an audible voyce, that is to saye, so loude and so playnely, that it may wel be vnderstand of the hearers. And that which is in the litle letter, is to be answered of the quier, soberly and deuoutly."

A Preface to the Litany occasionally occurs in the Sarum Prymers: I know of it however in none earlier than 1530. The edition from which I now quote is 8vo. by Nicolas le Roux, Antw. M.D.xxxviij. “newly translated after the Latene texte."

"The signification of this worlde (sic) Letany. Mamereus byshop of Vienne, what tyme that a terrible earthe quake fell in his prouince, Leo the fyrste, than beyng byshop of Rome,

caused the people to assemble and to go together in a longe array, prayenge and callyng vpon God. Whiche thynge we nowe call procession bicause we vse in the same to procede or go forthe. Hereof it came, than whan any greuous plague was eyther sente by god amonge the people, or any sodayne cause of gladnes chaunsed, processyon hath alwayes ben vsed, somtyme to pacifie goddes wrathe, and somtime to thanke hym of his benefites. For this cause dyd agapetus byshop of Rome fyrst institute that procession shulde be done euery sonday throughout the yere, and after hym Gregorie in the tyme of a common pestilence, caused more solempne ordre and syngyng to be vsed therin, and ordeyned this seruice called, Letany, whiche is a greke worlde, and asmoche in englyshe to say, as supplication or prayer, wherof it hath taken his name: bicause that in our generall processions and rogation dayes, prayer and supplication is made vnto god for the people, and for all estates, accordyng to the counsayle of Saynt Paule. j. Timoth. ij. and dyuers other examples of scripture." I may add, that Hilsey, in his Prymer, set forth at the commandment of "Lord Thomas Crumwell," inserted this Preface to the Litany. My copy of this book is